FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEBREVARD COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATIONFriday, September 5, 2008

BC FOOTBALL LOOKS TO REGROUP FOR PIKEVILLE COLLEGE ON SATURDAY NIGHT

Brevard College has never played Pikeville College on the football field.

Brevard, N.C. – For the first time under Head Coach Paul Hamilton’s guidance and such 2006, the Tornados were shut out last week in their 28-0 loss to UNC Pembroke. The Tornados will look to regroup this week, looking to find their offensive identity as the team struggled to protect and move the ball offensively a week ago.

In the Tornados 2008 season opener, which was in front of a large crowd of close to 2,500 spectators, UNC Pembroke capitalized on the three Brevard turnovers, scoring on their ensuing offensive possession after the turnovers accounting for 21 of their 28 points.

For the game, the Tornados had 107 rushing yards on 32 rushing attempts, while the Braves rushed for 116 yards on 30 carries.

The difference in the game was by the air, as UNCP passed for 221 yards and one touchdown, while the Tornados threw for 65 yards and two interceptions.

This week against Pikeville, Coach Hamilton will look to rely more on junior quarterback Kye Hamilton, who saw his first live action of football in close to two years last Saturday night. Hamilton was 9 of 18 in passing attempts but with two interceptions. Running back John Taylor, who had 113 total yards in the opening week, will be asked to provide more by way of his feet, as he rushed for 49 yards on only 10 carries.

Defensively the Tornados played well, yet will look to tighten up in the secondary which allowed 221 yards through the air. Linebacker Stanley Jones and safeties Trey Wilborn and Joshua Durm led the way in tackles in week one, but will look for some more help from the defensive front that is thin in terms of depth. Brevard will look to stop the Bears offensive attack that includes speed in all areas including at the quarterback position.

The Bears will be opening up their 2008 season on Saturday night against the Tornados, looking to begin improvement on a 4-7 record last season.

Pikeville will look to put up a balanced offensive attack as last season the Bears passed for 1,898 yards and rushed for 1,524 yards over an 11 game span. The Bears’ return quarterback Dan Wideman, who last season as a freshman, was second on the team in rushing yards with 582. Wideman was also the leading passer for the Bears, throwing for 1,294 yards and nine touchdowns. Running back De’Rail Sims is slated to start in the backfield for PC, as Sims played in all 11 games last year, rushing for 176 yards on only 45 attempts as the secondary running back.

On the defensive side of the ball the Bears return their top-five tacklers from 2007. Linebackers Anson Cunningham, Sean McKinley and Kenny Harris will bolster the defense once again in 2008, as the trio combined for 189 tackles and five sacks last season. Defensive lineman Travis Norris and Jamar Porter return to provide not only strength but experience on the front line for the Bears, as Norris recorded 57 tackles and three sacks in 11 games in 2007, while Porter had 49 tackles and a team-high eight sacks in only 10 games.

The kickoff time is slated for 6 p.m. at Brevard Memorial Stadium in Brevard, N.C. The shuttle buses begin running at 4 p.m. and the gates will open at that time as well, two hours prior to the opening kickoff.

You can catch the game via live broadcast brought to you by the “Voice of the Tornados” Rob Walden over the radio at WSQL 1240 AM or over the Internet at www.wsqlradio.com. You may also visit the Brevard College Athletics website at www.BCTorandos.com.